*If you haven’t, you can still vote for the Carmelo Anthony/Dirk Nowitzki matchup. Voting will continue until 11 A.M. EST on Wednesday.*
Kobe‘s lost a step. He relies on a diverse platter of get-off-me pull-ups and KG‘s-got-nothing-on-me fadeaways. Less breathtaking? Probably. Less impressive? Definitely. Less efficient? No chance. Until his body literally shuts down, Kobe will continue to reinvent himself. When he first arrived on the NBA scene, he was a ferocious dunker with a psychological makeup that was fearless bordering on reckless. Eventually Phil Jackson reeled him in and Kobe developed a more refined outside game. But then the knees started to go and the jump shot went from another weapon to the weapon. Then his knees really went, and now Kobe contorts his body in every which way to create space.
But that’s Kobe, really. There’s no angle he can’t score from. Just when you think you’ve got him cornered, he’ll rise up and remind you why he’s got five rings. He’s constantly changing, manipulating, adjusting.
Derrick Rose‘s transformation has been even more impressive. Not the whole above average NBA point guard-to-MVP thing, but his jump shot. That thing went from Chris Dudley free throw embarrassing to moderately effective. Not to mention his passing and finishing ability.
No matter who Kobe plays, he’ll get his. But so will Derrick Rose. Clearly enough of you believe in Rose’s ability to finish against Dwight, so imagine what he’ll be able to do only having to deal with Kobe’s length. Kobe may be a great defender, but Rose is three steps quicker. So he’ll have to compensate, giving Rose some space to rain jump shots if he’s feeling confident. And this will be the dilemma D-Rose faces each round – can he knock down the shots to win?
Kobe is consistency. There are no surprises or tricks. He’s going to shoot over, around, and underneath your contest. Derrick Rose is the one who will decide the winner. His effort, intensity and swagger will be there. He’s definitely aware of the grumblings that he only won the MVP by default. He knows that he’s still considered a notch below the NBA’s best. This platform will further allow his inception of us. His MVP already planted the idea – the belief that Derrick Rose is the best player in basketball. If D-Rose wins this tournament, it could fully take hold.
But Kobe is not ready to give up his power. He may not be the best right now, but he’s still in the conversation. Rose is the encroacher. So this game will be a statement – a chance for Kobe to assert his dominance.
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